Fools in Love
by retrinazambrano
Summary: A collection of one-shots about Joel and Teresa, ranging all ratings.
1. Reflex

So, if you know me, you'll know that I ship nothing harder than Joel & Teresa from _Boomtown_. So, here will be a group of one-shots set in the _Boomtown_ verse. Will be updating as I edit what I already have and as I write. I'm taking prompts, so feel free to message me here, twitter ( **teresaSortiz** ) or tumblr ( **teresa-ortiz** ... anyone seeing a pattern?) should anyone want any filled. Title from the song by Joe Jackson / Inara George.

As always, thanks Lindsay :)

I don't own these two, unfortunately, but you know if I did, this show would still be on the air somehow...

* * *

Joel pretty much feels nothing but pain when he hits the ground, though that creeps in slowly before hitting him full force. He opens his eyes to little flashing lights so he screws them shut again, trying his utmost not to tense but, right now, his body is nothing _but_ tense. It feels like every bone in his body is broken but it's the discomfort that reminds him that he's still alive.

Amidst his irrational thought stream comes a comforting touch, latex against his skin and although he doesn't know whose touch it is, he knows, deep down, that he's going to be absolutely fine. When he cracks his eyes open, he recognises who exactly that touch, those fingers pressing into his bruised body, belongs to.

Teresa Ortiz, the paramedic from the other night and _that_ night and goodness knows how many other nights and days on the job. A now familiar face. She examines his body, talking softly, asking whether _that hurts_ or whether he can _feel this._ He answers as he needs to, despite it hurting to speak.

"I think I broke my nose," he gasps, pain centred around his face.

"Yeah you did," Teresa affirms and she smiles wistfully.

He opens his eyes again, just a little and observes the brunette leaning over him, her fingers pressing again and he can't help it, can't help but watch her and the concentration on her face. It makes him smile and she's not meant to realise, but she does.

"What're you smiling at?" She asks, returning the smile. He shrugs it off, though he knows that it's a little more than nothing. He says he doesn't know and, maybe then, he doesn't know what he's smiling at, but _something_ tells him that, eventually, he'll know _exactly_ what it was that, despite all the pain, put a smile on his face.


	2. My Funny Valentine

A little Joel / Teresa fluff for today, written for Shay ( regalpixiedust) to ensure she wrote me that Miami Medical fic ;) thanks, Lindsay, for reading this over. Happy Valentine's Day!

* * *

Teresa runs into the precinct, pulling her hair back into the loosest ponytail she thinks she has ever performed upon herself (she'll fix it into a bun when she's in the patrol car), one that gets even looser as she jogs. She has never, ever been late for work before - not when she was a paramedic, not when she worked in that florist for extra money when she was at college and definitely not as a rookie cop.

It's her haste that leads her directly into the path of Captain Hicks, who has a few stern words of his own regarding his staff's tardiness. She apologises profusely and he explains that her partner is waiting for her in the car. She nods, turning to leave, but Hicks tells her to pull it together first, make herself presentable, _then_ head out. She takes those orders with a nod and heads to the locker rooms.

Pushing the heavy door open with a sigh, she heads to her locker and upon raising her head, she finds a single red rose taped to the front of the green metal box. Furrowing her brows, she steps forward and looks at it, puzzled, before whipping her head round to see if anyone else is watching. Once she's sure the coast is clear, she pulls at the tape, turning the flower round in her hands, careful of its thorny stem, wondering who on Earth would leave her such a gift. She shakes her head and pulls open her locker to find a slip of paper at the bottom, having been posted through the grate.

Teresa deposits the rose to sit upright at the back of her locker then pulls the slip open, reading its contents.

 _I know you never like to make a fuss_ , it reads, _but today, I thought someone should at least make the effort._

What? She thinks to herself. Oh. _Oh._ Of course, it's February 14th, she'd completely forgotten in her mad dash to get out of the house (not that she made a big deal over this damn day anyway!). She rolls her eyes, decides it must be some practical joke by Ray and Tom - wouldn't be the first time - and places the slip amongst her belongings.

"There must be a reason you're the only one in here whilst everyone's already out on duty, Officer Ortiz," comes a familiar voice, one that makes her grin with a slight shake of her head. Joel. Always the one to seek her out, always the one with a charming, sarcastic comment.

"Well, _Detective_ ," Teresa drawls, pulling her hair back to fall over her shoulders (the whole reason she came in here after all), "that does not explain what you're doing here. Aren't you meant to be catching criminals too or does making that rank just give you a desk and a higher paycheck?" It's all in jest, of course, and Joel raises a brow.

"Part of the job - a perk, one might say," he offers and she laughs. "So you're actually on your way out?" He asks and she nods, pulling her hair into place.

"Yeah, just gotta do this," she replies, nodding upwards, signifying her hair. "Then it's on the beat! Remember those days, eh, when you were Officer Stevens?"

"Yes thank you, Ortiz. I remember those days," he says as she secures her low bun, hair pulled taut, making her look much more severe, especially once she pulls her officer's cap into place. "I'll walk with you."

Teresa closes her locker, the rose all but forgotten as she follows her friend - colleague - out of the room and into the busy building. They speak of his latest case on the short walk to the exit and he asks her to keep her ear to the ground for him, for clues, something which she duly agrees to. She spots her partner's car parked just a few yards away and, if his face is anything to go by, she's in for a real treat today.

"Keep safe, Officer," Joel murmurs and Teresa nods.

"You too, Detective," she responds, giving him a small flicker of a smile, turning to walk away, as he says her name again, but much more quietly this time.

"Happy Valentine's Day." He gives her a grin before he turns and goes back inside, leaving her rooted to the spot, mind racing, racing right back to that very bloom inside her locker.

It couldn't be..?


End file.
